By Graeme Fletcher, National Post

Originally published: March 15, 2012

SMALL

MEDIUM

LARGE

In redesigning the Passat, Volkswagen tackled its key competition head on — the drawback to the previous model was that it was at a size disadvantage.

Not surprisingly, the first impression of the new car is one of substance and size. The latest Passat is almost five metres long, it is within a whisker of being two metres wide and it rides on a long 2,803-millimetre wheelbase. While it is listed as a mid-sized ride, the reality is that it verges on being full-sized in just about every respect except one — the manner in which it drives.

The size aspect becomes only too apparent the instant one slips behind the wheel. There is abundant elbow room for the front-seat occupants, while the rear seat has enough space to accommodate three passengers in complete comfort without the need for them to be overly friendly. Ditto the trunk. At 15.9 cubic feet, it is cavernous to the point where anything that happens to slide up against the backside of the 60-40-split/folding rear seat all but mandates climbing in to the trunk retrieve it! The only real nit has to do with the decklid hinges. First, they are of the crush-anything-placed-beneath-them type, so be warned and pack the trunk accordingly. Secondly, one hinge is covered in a plastic trim piece (which hides the wires that feed the licence plate lights and such), while the other is bare metal. This is supposed to be an entry-level luxury car — it needs the second trim piece to give that impression.

As for the rest of the cabin, it arrives nicely appointed and with a level of quality that is a cut above the norm. The materials are excellent, the layout likewise and there is a degree of comfort I did not expect. In fact, only the rather flat nature of the seats disappointed — more lateral support would not go amiss.

The Trendline+ model tested arrived powered by VW’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine. While it manages to push 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, it really has its work cut out for it in this full-bodied sedan. Mat the gas from a standstill and it takes 8.2 seconds to reach 100 kilometres an hour. This isn’t scary-slow territory, but it’s far from fast. As such, the Passat’s other engines offer more, albeit for different reasons. The delightful diesel brings roughly the same performance but significantly better economy — almost three litres per 100 km better than the five-cylinder.

On the flip side, the 3.6L V6 makes an enormous difference, transforming the Passat from sedan to full-on sport sedan. Its 280 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque at a very low 2,800 rpm chops the zero-to-100-km/h time to just six seconds, and it only hits the wallet by upping the consumption by an average of a litre per 100 km. Yes, it drives the cost of entry skyward, but it is well worth the dosh.

The Passat is unusual in that it is one of the few near-full-sized sedans to give the driver a choice of manual and automatic transmissions. The former is a five-speed that has a remarkably tight gate, a light clutch and, as such, is easy to live with in stop-and-go traffic. However, the automatic, which has a manual mode (Tiptronic in VW-speak), is the better choice. It shifts sweetly, has a broader range of ratios and responds with alacrity when the manual side is engaged. Again, there is an advantage to picking the diesel or VR6 as both earn VW’s slick DSG twin-clutch transmission. Too bad it is not the autobox of choice on the base engine.

When it comes to handling, the Passat doesn’t feel as large as its dimensions suggest. When flogged along a long looping on-ramp, the front struts and multiple rear links dialled out all but a few degrees of body roll, the response to steering input was crisp and understeer really only surfaced when encroaching on the limit. I really was very pleasantly surprised by just how nimble the Passat feels on its P215/60R16 tires — the car’s light-for-its-size 1,461-kilogram mass obviously making a big contribution. Conversely, it is a wonderful highway cruiser, wafting over large swales.

The only dynamic piece I questioned was VW’s decision to delete the on/off switch for the electronic stability control. As it stands, it is always active and, as such, it will always intervene. VW insists that the system has the logic needed to determine, for example, if the driver is stuck in snow. Under these conditions, it is supposed to rein in its action, which would allow the vehicle to be rocked free — fingers crossed. I didn’t have the chance to test the claim, so I remain skeptical.

Many will decry VW’s decision to move the Passat upmarket size-wise. These naysayers will suggest that making it more appealing to the North American buyer is selling out its European heritage. Get over it!

The Passat now has the size it has always needed, yet it still drives as well as any self-respecting European sedan — this despite the 2.5L engine. In my book, the redesign is a move for the better, although I would opt for the diesel engine with the DSG if I were buying.